Media Release
Mangaluru, Jun 26: “The Year ‘Amoris Laetitia Family’ announced by Pope Francis from March 19, 2021 to June 26, 2022 has come to end. We are grateful to God for the gift of the Year dedicated to family. It has helped us to explore the ‘joy and beauty of familial love’. It has shown us the importance of community ties between families. The spiritual, pastoral, and cultural initiatives planned in the Year ‘Amoris Laetitia Family,’ remain closed. However, the mission to bear witness to family love continues,” said Msgr Maxim L Noronha, vicar general, diocese of Mangalore during the thanksgiving Eucharist celebrated on the occasion of the closing of AmorisLeatitia Family Year held on June 25 at Shanthi Kiran Pastoral Centre, Mangaluru.
The diocesan level concluding ceremony was organised by Fr Anil Alfred D’Souza, director, Family Life Service Centre, Mangaluru and secretary, Commission for Family. The programme was held on a day prior to the official conclusion of the Year ‘Amoris Laetitia Family’ by Pope Francis which coincided with the conclusion of the tenth World Meeting of Families on June 26 in Rome.
Fr Joseph Martis, parish priest, Derebail and diocesan coordinator for Pastoral Commissions, Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, director, Shanthi Kiran Pastoral Institute, Mangaluru, Fr Arun D’Souza, director, Shanthi Kiran Counselling Centre, Fr Naveen Pinto, administrator, St Joseph Seminary, Jeppu, Dr Caroline D’Souza Neuro-Psychiatrist, Family Apostolate and the representatives of the Family Commission from the parishes were present for the programme.
On this occasion, Fr Santhosh Rodrigues and Dr Caroline D’ Souza spoke on the theme, 'Family Love: A Call and Way to Holiness', followed by interaction and evaluation. Fr Naveen Pinto moderated the session.
Fr Anil Alfred D’Souza thanked all the members of Family Apostolate for their selfless services in the diocese. On a special note, Fr Anil Ivan Fernandes, director, Canara Communication Centre and secretary of Commission for Social Communication, Diocese of Mangalore was felicitated for keeping the ‘Year Amoris Leatitia Family,’ alive and active in the diocese through publishing daily posters, that carried monthly intention for the family with a quote from AmorisLeatitia-Apostolic Exhortation on the joy and beauty of familial love, the Bible and saints. His association with the Commission for Family in organisingspiritual, pastoral, and cultural initiatives planned for the Year was gratefully acknowledged.
A short video, recapping the entire year’s programmes and initiatives was presented and published on this occasion.